ISO 39001:2012
ISO 39001 certification for road traffic safety management
Independent certification of how your organisation reduces death and serious injury linked to its road traffic activities.
- Valid for
- 3 years
- Surveillance
- Years 1 and 2
- Verification
- Public register
Accredited and empanelled
What is ISO 39001?
ISO 39001 sets requirements for a road traffic safety (RTS) management system. Its aim is to help organisations that interact with the road traffic system reduce, and ultimately eliminate, death and serious injury from road traffic crashes.
ISO 39001:2012 asks organisations to identify RTS performance factors in three groups: exposure factors such as distance travelled, final safety outcome factors such as deaths and serious injuries, and intermediate safety outcome factors such as safe speeds, seat belt use, fit and rested drivers, vehicle safety and journey planning. Targets and action plans are then set for the factors that matter most to the organisation.
Fleet operators, logistics companies, bus and coach operators and road authorities use it to manage a risk that rarely gets enough attention in a conventional occupational safety system. It is also relevant to organisations whose services shape road safety, such as highway designers and maintenance contractors.
Who it is for
- Haulage and logistics fleets
- Bus, coach and school transport operators
- Delivery and ride-hailing fleets
- Organisations with large company car or sales fleets
- Road authorities and highway maintenance contractors
What sets audit time and cost
Application to certification decision typically takes eight to twelve weeks, provided crash and performance data has been collected for long enough to set meaningful targets.
- Number of personnel, including drivers
- Fleet size and vehicle types
- Number of depots and operating bases
- Use of subcontracted drivers and hauliers
- Integration with ISO 45001 or ISO 9001
Why it matters
What ISO 39001 gives you
- 01
Fewer crashes and injuries
Targets and actions on speed, fatigue, vehicle safety and journey planning address the causes of serious crashes.
- 02
Lower fleet cost
Fewer collisions reduce repair, insurance and downtime costs.
- 03
Evidence for clients and authorities
Transport buyers and public authorities can see an independently audited road safety system.
- 04
Data-led decisions
Defined performance factors and measures replace anecdote with data on where risk lies.
The audit
What our auditors examine
- 01
RTS performance factors
Which exposure, final outcome and intermediate outcome factors you selected, and why.
- 02
Targets and action plans
Measurable RTS targets, the actions to achieve them and progress against them.
- 03
Driver fitness and competence
Licence checks, training, fatigue management, impairment controls and working time.
- 04
Vehicle safety
Vehicle selection, safety equipment, inspection and maintenance.
- 05
Journey planning and speed
Route and schedule planning, speed management and use of telematics where available.
- 06
Crash investigation
Reporting and investigation of crashes and incidents, with corrective action.
How certification works
Every accredited certificate follows the same three-year cycle, with each step recorded and the result published in our register.
01
Application and quote
Tell us your scope, sites and headcount. We calculate audit time under the accreditation rules and send a fixed quote and audit plan.
02
Stage 1 audit
We review your documented management system, scope and readiness, and agree the Stage 2 plan. Any gaps are reported so you can close them first.
03
Stage 2 audit
Auditors check that the system works in practice: interviews, records and observation across the scope. Nonconformities are raised in writing.
04
Certification decision
Once corrective actions are accepted, a reviewer who did not take part in the audit makes the decision. Your certificate is issued and listed in the public register.
05
Surveillance audits
Shorter audits in the first and second years after certification confirm the system is maintained and improving. The register shows your current status throughout.
06
Recertification
Before the three-year certificate expires, a recertification audit reviews the whole system and renews the certificate for another cycle.
Related standards and audits
Often certified or audited alongside this one, sometimes in a single combined audit.
ISO certification
ISO 45001
Independent certification that your organisation identifies hazards, controls risk and involves workers in keeping people safe.
ISO certification
ISO 28000
Independent certification of how your organisation assesses and controls security risks to its operations and supply chain.
ISO certification
ISO 14001
Independent certification of how your organisation identifies, controls and reduces its environmental impact.
ISO certification
ISO 9001
Independent assessment of your quality management system against ISO 9001:2015, by an accredited certification body.
ISO 39001 questions
We audit; we do not consult.
To keep certification independent, we never design, build or fix the systems we audit, and decisions are made by people who did not take part in the audit. Read our impartiality policy.
Plan your ISO 39001 certification
Tell us your scope, sites and timeline. We reply with an audit plan and a fixed quote.